BAFTA award-winning actor Adam Deacon has been found not guilty of affray and possessing an offensive weapon. The jury accepted that Mr Deacon was mentally ill at the time of the incident and was therefore not criminally responsible for his actions. Mr Deacon was represented by Keir Monteith of Garden Court Chambers.
Speaking after the hearing, Mr Deacon said: “I want to say thank you to the jury for taking mental health so seriously.” He had been accused of chasing a neighbour down the street with a three-foot sword. He was later sectioned under the Mental Health Act, displaying symptoms of bi-polar affective disorder and schizo affective disorder.
Defending, Keir Monteith said the prosecution of mentally-ill defendants was “something from the dark ages.” In his submissions, he condemned the 15-month delay in bringing the case to trial as “a disgrace.”
The case has been widely reported in the press.
Keir Monteith is a member of Garden Court Chambers’ Crime Team, winners of the Legal 500 Crime Set of the Year Award 2015. He was instructed by the excellent Mark French and Jessica Maguire from Edward Hayes Solicitors.
